Wildfire smoke continues to result in poor air quality from the Upper Midwest into the Northeast. Dangerous heat and fire weather concerns for portions of the Four Corners region into the central Great Basin and Rockies. Heavy rainfall and flash flooding possible for the Southeast through today. Strong to severe thunderstorms for the Southern Plains with severe wind gusts and large hail possible. Read More >
Overview
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During the late afternoon and early evening of July 19, 2019, thunderstorms developed over north central Minnesota and quickly spread eastward and southeastward. One supercell thunderstorm moved through Pine County in Minnesota and produced significant wind and hail damage, especially near the Rock Creek area. This storm continued to move over far southern portions of Burnett County producing damaging winds. Another supercell thunderstorm moved from Douglas County southeast through Sawyer and through Price Counties in northwest Wisconsin producing significant wind and hail damage. Behind this supercell, a line of storms developed producing strong winds as things wrapped up during the evening. We extend our thanks to Pine and Sawyer County Emergency Management and Wisconsin Emergency Management for their considerable assistance in documenting and assessing this weather event. |
 Numerous trees downed near County Road H and King Creek in Radisson, WI. (photo courtesy Wisconsin State Patrol and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources) |
Wind & Hail:
Wind
Numerous reports of wind damage across Pine
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| Damage from a microburst taken by NWS Duluth Damage Survey team near the intersection of 570th Street and County Highway 3 in Pine City, MN. | Tree split near the base on the south shore of Pokegama Lake in MN.(photo courtesy Kenny Reed) | Numerous trees downed in Ojibwa, WI. (photo courtesy Pat Sanchez) | Numerous trees downed near Camp One Creek and County Road H in New Post, WI. (photo courtesy Wisconsin State Patrol and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources) |
Hail
Numerous reports of large hail and wind driven hail damaging homes and vehicles.
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| Home damaged by wind driven hail in Rock Creek, MN. Photo taken by NWS Duluth Damage Survey team. | Windshield damaged by hailstones in Rock Creek, MN. Photo taken by NWS Duluth Damage Survey team. | Hailstones in Winter, WI. (photo courtesy Pat Sanchez) | Divot from large hailstones in Rock Creek, MN. Photo taken by NWS Duluth Damage Survey team. |
Photos & Video
Additional damage photos.
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| Windshield damaged by hailstones in Pine City, MN. (photo courtesy KBJR meteorologist Jenna Lake) |
Numerous trees downed in Ojibwa, WI along Scout Trail. (photo courtesy Wisconsin State Patrol and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources) |
Numerous trees downed near the Helsing Road and Crooked Rapids Creek in Ojibwa, WI. (photo courtesy Wisconsin State Patrol and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources) |
Trees downed in Ojibwa, WI along WI-27. (photo courtesy Wisconsin State Patrol and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources) |
Radar
There were two storms that caused the majority of the damage today in the Duluth CWA. The first (left image) developed near the Brainerd Lakes and moved southeastward across Pine and Burnett counties. The second (right image) developed over southern Aitkin County and moved east across northern Pine county. Eventually the storm dived southeastward across Douglass, Burnett, Sawyer and Price counties.
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| Reflectivity (left) and Base Velocity (right) of the supercell that moved through Pine and Burnett Counties. Radar loop begins at 3:35 PM CDT and ends at 5:39 PM CDT. | Reflectivity (left) and Base Velocity (right) of a hybrid supercell and bow echo which eventually merged into a larger derecho later on. Storm move through Douglas, Burnett, Sawyer and Price counties. Radar loop beings at 3:49 PM CDT and ends at 6:47 PM CDT. |
Storm Reports
NWUS53 KDLH 200348 LSRDLH PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN 1048 PM CDT FRI JUL 19 2019 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0440 PM HAIL PINE CITY 45.83N 92.97W 07/19/2019 M2.75 INCH PINE MN TRAINED SPOTTER . 0445 PM HAIL 3 NE ROCK CREEK 45.79N 92.93W 07/19/2019 M2.50 INCH PINE MN TRAINED SPOTTER GOLF BALL TO TENNIS BALL SIZE HAIL. BROKEN WINDOW ON NORTH SIDE OF HOME. 0440 PM HAIL 1 ESE WEST ROCK 45.76N 93.00W 07/19/2019 M2.50 INCH PINE MN TRAINED SPOTTER CROPS ARE FLATTENED. 0605 PM HAIL 5 SW PHILLIPS 45.64N 90.47W 07/19/2019 M2.00 INCH PRICE WI TRAINED SPOTTER HAIL HAD ABOUT 20-30 MINUTES OF MELT ON IT WHEN FOUND. 0519 PM HAIL WINTER 45.82N 91.01W 07/19/2019 M2.00 INCH SAWYER WI PUBLIC . 0528 PM HAIL 2 SSE WINTER 45.80N 90.99W 07/19/2019 M1.75 INCH SAWYER WI CO-OP OBSERVER 0517 PM HAIL 4 NW WINTER 45.86N 91.07W 07/19/2019 E1.75 INCH SAWYER WI PUBLIC THIS REPORT CORRECTS AN INCORRECT TIME ON A PREVIOUSLY SENT LSR. DELAYED REPORT FROM MPING. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. 0500 PM HAIL 2 W FOUR CORNERS 45.67N 92.62W 07/19/2019 M1.75 INCH BURNETT WI TRAINED SPOTTER CEDAR POINT RESORT. 0448 PM HAIL 5 ENE ROCK CREEK 45.78N 92.87W 07/19/2019 M1.75 INCH PINE MN TRAINED SPOTTER TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. 0430 PM HAIL 2 NE HENRIETTE 45.89N 93.10W 07/19/2019 M1.75 INCH PINE MN TRAINED SPOTTER . 0454 PM HAIL 2 WSW GRANTSBURG 45.77N 92.72W 07/19/2019 M1.50 INCH BURNETT WI PUBLIC REPORT RELAYED VIA FACEBOOK. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. 0449 PM HAIL 4 E PINE CITY 45.83N 92.89W 07/19/2019 M1.50 INCH PINE MN PUBLIC 0611 PM HAIL 4 S PHILLIPS 45.64N 90.39W 07/19/2019 M1.25 INCH PRICE WI PUBLIC OCCURRING AT THE TIME OF THE REPORT. 0500 PM HAIL 4 W BRANSTAD 45.74N 92.76W 07/19/2019 E1.25 INCH BURNETT WI TRAINED SPOTTER HAIL WAS COVERING THE GROUND. MOST STONES WERE QUARTER SIZED, BUT THE LARGEST WERE HALF DOLLAR. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. 0428 PM HAIL 1 NNW HENRIETTE 45.89N 93.13W 07/19/2019 M1.25 INCH PINE MN TRAINED SPOTTER 0615 PM HAIL 1 S PHILLIPS 45.68N 90.39W 07/19/2019 M1.00 INCH PRICE WI TRAINED SPOTTER A FEW QUARTER SIZE HAIL STONES. 0509 PM HAIL WINTER 45.82N 91.01W 07/19/2019 M1.00 INCH SAWYER WI PUBLIC 0508 PM HAIL 4 NW WINTER 45.86N 91.07W 07/19/2019 M1.00 INCH SAWYER WI PUBLIC REPORT VIA MPING. 0434 PM HAIL 3 W PINE CITY 45.82N 93.04W 07/19/2019 M1.00 INCH PINE MN PUBLIC . 0430 PM HAIL 2 NNW WEST ROCK 45.79N 93.04W 07/19/2019 M1.00 INCH PINE MN PUBLIC 0347 PM HAIL 1 N FORT RIPLEY 46.18N 94.36W 07/19/2019 M1.00 INCH CROW WING MN TRAINED SPOTTER . 0425 PM HAIL 1 ENE BROOK PARK 45.96N 93.05W 07/19/2019 M0.75 INCH PINE MN TRAINED SPOTTER . 0505 PM HAIL 5 ENE CHIEF LAKE 45.96N 91.25W 07/19/2019 M0.70 INCH SAWYER WI TRAINED SPOTTER 0323 PM HAIL 3 SSE PINE CENTER 46.18N 93.89W 07/19/2019 E0.70 INCH CROW WING MN TRAINED SPOTTER . 0732 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 WNW OGEMA 45.45N 90.31W 07/19/2019 PRICE WI PUBLIC FEW TREES KNOCKED DOWN NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF COUNTY ROAD O AND HIGHWAY 13. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. 0708 PM TSTM WND DMG 4 N CATAWBA 45.60N 90.54W 07/19/2019 PRICE WI TRAINED SPOTTER EIGHT INCH DIAMETER TREE KNOCKED DOWN ON A POWER LINE APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES NORTH OF CATAWBA ON COUNTY ROAD J. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. 0625 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 3 SSW PRENTICE 45.50N 90.31W 07/19/2019 PRICE WI LAW ENFORCEMENT 0616 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 1 WNW PRENTICE 45.55N 90.32W 07/19/2019 PRICE WI LAW ENFORCEMENT FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAY 13 AND HIGHWAY 8 NEAR PRENTICE. 0552 PM TSTM WND DMG 8 SW SHELL LAKE 45.65N 92.03W 07/19/2019 WASHBURN WI LAW ENFORCEMENT TREES KNOCKED DOWN NEAR SHALLOW LAKE. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. 0510 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 NE RADISSON 45.79N 91.18W 07/19/2019 SAWYER WI TRAINED SPOTTER MANY TREES DOWN 60 TO 80 TREES. TREES ON POWER LINES AND POWER IS OUT. 0448 PM TSTM WND DMG 5 ENE ROCK CREEK 45.78N 92.87W 07/19/2019 PINE MN TRAINED SPOTTER LOTS OF TREES DOWNED AND ONE FELL THROUGH A RENTAL TRAILER ROOF. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. 0441 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 ESE WEST ROCK 45.76N 93.00W 07/19/2019 PINE MN EMERGENCY MNGR EXTENSIVE TREE DAMAGE NEAR FALCON AVENUE. IN ADDITION, 3 BUILDINGS HEAVILY DAMAGED. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. 0439 PM TSTM WND DMG NORTHWOODS BEACH 45.91N 91.40W 07/19/2019 SAWYER WI EMERGENCY MNGR SEVERAL TREES AND POWER LINES KNOCKED DOWN IN THE NORTHWOODS BEACH AREA. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. 0429 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 SSW HAYWARD 45.96N 91.50W 07/19/2019 SAWYER WI LAW ENFORCEMENT FEW TREES KNOCKED DOWN. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
Environment
A 250 hPa jet was oriented along the International Border from the Pacific Northwest to Maine. A subtle 500 hPa shortwave was lifting across the eastern Dakotas into the Upper Mississippi River Valley. At 850 hPa a quasi-stationary front (also seen at the surface) can be seen extending through central Minnesota into northern Wisconsin. The southern side of the front featured strong southerly moisture and temperature advection. At the surface a stationary front extended from southeast south Dakota through southern Minnesota into northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan.
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| Figure 1: 12 Z (7 AM CDT) 250 hPa SPC analysis | Figure 2: 12 Z (7 AM CDT) 500 hPa SPC analysis | Figure 3: 21 Z (4 PM CDT) 850 hPa SPC Mesoanalysis |
The Minneapolis sounding at 7 PM showed Surface Based CAPE values of 8305 J/kg with 0-6 km bulk shear values of 49 kts, making this an explosive environment. Mixed Layer CAPE values around 4 PM were a gradient from 500 J/kg from northern Wisconsin to central Minnesota to 4000 J/kg from central Minnesota to southeast Wisconsin. 0-6 km bulk shear values (not shown) were 50 to 60 knots which is conducive for severe storms to develop. The other three composite parameters (Supercell Composite, Derecho Composite and Significant Hail) all show a similar gradient from central Minnesota extending southeastward into southern Wisconsin. These were all extremely high values as well, showing an environment that was ripe for supercell development, a long lived derecho being possible and large hail. Storms developed along the gradient region and slid along it through this event. This was due to the strong frontogenesis going on within the gradient.
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| Figure 4: 18 Z (1 PM CDT) WPC Surface Analysis | Figure 5: 00 Z (7 PM CDT) MPX (Twin Cities) Sounding | Figure 6: 21 Z (4 PM CDT) Mixed Layer CAPE from SPC Mesoanalysis |
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| Figure 7: 21 Z (4 PM CDT) Supercell Composite Parameter from SPC Mesoanalysis | Figure 8: 21 Z (4 PM CDT) Derecho Composite Parameter from SPC Mesoanalysis | Figure 9: 21 Z (4 PM CDT) Significant Hail Parameter from SPC Mesoanalysis |
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